‘Most parents blame themselves for giving their children colds’

Seven out of ten parents believe they have been responsible for passing a cold onto their children, it has emerged. A study carried out among 2,000 mums and dads with kids aged three to 16 found a large percentage believe they’ve given colds to their kids – with dads being the worst offenders. As well as missed days at work, school and nursery, it also emerged winter bugs are to blame for parents enjoying less time cuddling their children. The research, commissioned by Olbas, revealed that to try and avoid catching colds and viruses, nearly half of parents make a deliberate effort not to engage in physical contact with their kids. Furthermore the study found one fifth of children rarely or never cover their mouth when sneezing, blasting out germs with each explosion. And when they do, 43 per cent of children sneeze directly into the palms of their hands, making the spread of the cold likely via shared toys, books and other items. GP and Olbas expert Dr Roger Henderson, said: “Children can catch colds from siblings, parents, other family members, and playmates – and there are definite trends depending on the child’s age and lifestyle. “In general, children with older siblings and those who attend nursery seem to have more colds than older children. “Children get fewer colds as they get older and usually by the time they start school, children who attended pre-school day-care will have fewer colds than children who did not because of their exposure… [Read full story]